Leah Pritchett’s dream of competing in a Top Fuel dragster on the biggest stage of drag racing will receive a major boost today in Las Vegas when she models her new Gumout Performance Additives driving suit.

Pritchett will drive the Dole Racing entry in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series opener this weekend at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona in the traditional red paint scheme. It will remind fans of the sport of Gumout’s sponsorship in the 1970s and 1980s with the legendary “Grumpy’s Toy,” a Pro Stock car driven by Hall of Famer Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins.

“It’s going to be so exciting. There’s a new-car smell to it all,” said Pritchett, who competed in 13 NHRA national events in 2013 for Connie and Mike Dote and finished 15th in the points standings. “It’s the first time on the pro level I’ve had this kind of sponsorship.

“Last year, there was something to be proven. Now, I’ve set a higher standard for mayself. It’s time to focus on improving my driving. There are no more excuses.”

That’s quite a statement from the 25-year-old who has been striaght-line racing since she was 8. Pritchett, who graduated from Redlandfs High School and Cal State San Bernardino under her maiden name of Pruett, has competed in not only Top Fuel but in Pro Mod, Nostalgia Funny Car, Nostalgia Eliminator 1 and Jr. Dragsters. She’s also won at every level but Top Fuel, although she reached the semifinals at Topeka in her first season.

Her best times in the 8,000-horsepower dragster are 3.912 seconds and a speed 319.29 mph.

Her first Top Fuel win last year came against Shawn Langdon, the eventual class champion, at Phoenix in the second national event of the season. It was their first side-by-side run since their days in Jr. Dragster.

Pritchett, who married Steve Torrence Racing car chief Gary Pritchett last October, isn’t a stranger to success. She was an NHRA Division 7 champion at age nine, NHRA Wicked West Coast champion at 16 and was the first woman driver to break the five-second barrier in a Nostalgia Funny Car. She also won the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series championship and was a multiple-event winner in the Pro Mod class, including victories at Charlotte and Las Vegas.

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“I am so thrilled to have Gumout as a partner,” said Pritchett, who now calls Avon, Ind., her home. “I have been drag racing for most of my life and have worked on the race cars in smaller divisions.”

So is the long-term sponsor.

“We are extremely excited to return to NHRA in a big way with Leah Pritchett and the Dote Racing organization,” said Rusty Waples, global group grand ganager at ITW Global Brands. “Leah is one of the bright young stars of drag racing and a great spokesperson for Gumout. Leah and the Dote Racing team will assist us in communicating with our retailers and customers throughout the country.

“We can’t wait to see Leah in theat the season-opening NHRA Winternationals.”

The team spent the past weekend in Las Vegas testing for Friday’s first qualifying pass at Pomona. Pritchett even tweeted about Saturday’s events, “WoooWeee felt so good to get back behind the wheel of the @DoteRacing dragster today! 3 good pulls and going in the right direction.”

Dote Racing, a three-generation racing team, started in the sport in the 1980s. Connie and Mike Dote now run the Monroe, Ohio-based team, having entered the Top Fuel ranks in 1989.

The team felt comfortable enough enough they did not go back out onto the track on Monday.

“One of the great things about working with Doug Kuch (her crew chief), is the open line of communication,” Pritchett said. “He has a great understanding of what we’re doing and we were both pleased with what we accomplished.”

Kuch also is optimistic about the new season.

“We believe that Leah and the entire Dote Racing team can be successful in 2014 with the new Gumout sponsorship,” Kuch said. “While Leah is fairly new to the Top Fuel class, she is a veteran drag racer who has the skills to be very competitive in the sport’s top category. With Gumout on board, we feel we have a solid base to give Leah and Dote Racing the proper tools to go after the top teams in Top Fuel.”

Pritchett is counting the days to return to her home track.

“It’s been four years working to this,” she said. “I’m very happy to be going home.”